White House succession secured

2013-01-21 19:05

Washington - US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki
stayed away from President Barack Obama's second inauguration on Monday as a
standard precaution in case of a catastrophe, the White House said.

Under a tradition dating back to the Cold War, one member
of the cabinet remains at a separate, secure location whenever the full US
leadership is in one place, allowing succession in case of an attack or other
crisis.

A White House official said Shinseki was the designated
survivor at Obama's inaugural ceremony at the US Capitol, which brought
together the rest of the cabinet, as well as the top ranks of Congress and the
judiciary.

Shinseki was the first Asian American to become a
four-star general.

He later served as army chief of staff, where he clashed
with former president George W Bush's administration through his prescient
prediction that the Iraq invasion would require more troops than planned.

At Obama's first inauguration in 2009, the designated
successor was then Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who stayed in the cabinet at
the new president's request after serving in the Bush administration.